Module 6

(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

HEAT TRANSFER & HEAT EXCHANGER

Heat transfer:
Heat transfer is the process of the movement of energy due to a temperature difference.
Modes of Heat Transfer
There are basically three modes:
1. Conduction
2. Convection and
3. Radiation
Heat Transfer: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation link:
(conduction_convection_radiation_reading.pdf (vansd.org) )

1|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin

Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

Radial heat conduction across a hollow cylinder: 34.9 , page 741 khurmi. Proof
For radial geometry of a hollow cylinder, following equation expresses the heat transfer rate.

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Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

Natural Convection:

Natural convection is a method of heat transfer in which natural means influence the
motion of the fluid. There is no influence from external facts. This movement of molecules in the
fluid is due to the differences between densities of different regions of the same fluid. The
density of a fluid decreases when it heats and vice versa. That is because of the thermal
expansion of the fluid (the speed of molecules increase with the temperature increase, which
results in the increase of the volume of the fluid. Although the volume increases, the mass
remains constant. Therefore the density decreases).

When we heat a fluid in a container from

its bottom, the density of the bottom layer of the
fluid decreases. Then the lower density region
tends to move to the top of the container. Then the
cooler fluid at the top of the container replaces the
bottom region. This continues, as a result,
convection occurs.

Forced Convection:

Forced convection is a method of heat transfer in which external means influence the
motion of the fluid. There, external sources such as pumping, fans, suction devices, etc. are
useful in generating the fluid motion. This method is very valuable because it can efficiently
transfer heat from a heated object. Some common examples of this mechanism include air
conditioning, steam turbines, etc.

When considering the mechanism of forced convection, it is has a complicated

mechanism than the natural way. That is because, in this method, we have to regulate two
factors; fluid motion and heat conduction. These two factors have a strong connection since the
fluid motion can enhance the heat transfer. Ex: higher the rate of motion of the fluid, higher the
heat transfers.

3|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin

Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

Difference between natural and forced convection:

4|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin

Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

Heat exchanger:
A heat exchanger is a device that is used to transfer thermal energy (enthalpy) between
two or more fluids, between a solid surface and a fluid, or between solid particulates and a fluid,
at different temperatures and in thermal contact.
Or
A heat exchanger is a piece of equipment built for efficient heat transfer from one
medium to another (hot and cold fluid).
Reasons for heat transfer include the following:
1. To heat a cooler fluid by means of a hotter fluid
2. To reduce the temperature of a hot fluid by means of a cooler fluid
3. To boil a liquid by means of a hotter fluid
4. To condense a gaseous fluid by means of a cooler fluid
5. To boil a liquid while condensing a hotter gaseous fluid
Regardless of the function the heat exchanger fulfills, in order to transfer heat the fluids
involved must be at different temperatures and they must come into thermal contact. Heat can
flow only from the hotter to the cooler fluid.
Types of Heat Exchanger:
Heat exchangers are typically classified according to flow arrangement and type of
construction. The simplest heat exchanger is one for which the hot and cold fluids move in the
same or opposite directions, and this heat exchanger consists of two concentric pipes of different
diameters.
 Parallel-flow arrangement. In the
parallel-flow arrangement, the hot and
cold fluids enter at the same end, flow
in the same direction, and leave at the
same end.
 Counter-flow arrangement. In the
counter-flow arrangement, the fluids
enter at opposite ends, flow in
opposite directions, and leave at
opposite ends.
5|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin
Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

 Cross flow arrangement. In the cross-

flow arrangement, one fluid flows
perpendicular to the second fluid; that is,
one fluid flows through tubes and the
second fluid passes around the tubes at
90° angle.

The arrangement and variation of temperature with length for parallel flow and counter
flow:
The figure represents fluid flow directions in the parallel and counter-flow exchangers. Under
comparable conditions, more heat is transferred in a counter-flow arrangement than in a parallel
flow heat exchanger. The temperature profiles of the two heat exchangers indicate two major
disadvantages in the parallel-flow design.

 The large temperature difference at the ends causes large thermal stresses.
 The temperature of the cold fluid exiting the heat exchanger never exceeds the lowest
temperature of the hot fluid.

6|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin

Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

The design of a parallel flow heat exchanger is advantageous when two fluids are required to be
brought to nearly the same temperature.
Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference:
The “Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference“(LMTD) is a logarithmic average of the
temperature difference between the hot and cold feeds at each end of the heat exchanger. The
larger the LMTD, the more heat is transferred. It can be seen from the figure that the temperature
difference varies along the flow and the arithmetic average may not be the real average.
For heat exchanger that has two ends (which we call “A” and “B”) at which the hot and
cold streams enter or exit on either side, the LMTD is defined as:

This holds both for parallel-flow arrangement, where the streams enter from the same
end, and for counter-flow arrangement, where they enter from different ends.

7|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin

Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.
 Module 6
(Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering; IPE 203)

Related Problem: ( 34.1, 34.2, 34.3, 34.6, Page 738-742)

1. Air at 20°C blows over a plate of 50 cm × 75 cm maintained at 250°C. If the convection
heat transfer coefficient is 25 W/m2°C, Calculate the heat transfer. b) over 5 hrs (??)

8|Page Md. Tarek Ur Rahman Erin

Assistant Professor (Mechanical)
CTEC.